1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling access to a venue using alterable tickets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A venue, as used herein, is a space having controlled access for holding an event. An event, as used herein, is something that takes place in or at the venue. For example, a stadium is a venue typically used to hold a sporting event.
To control access to a venue for an event, an entity associated with the venue usually sells a predetermined number of tickets. The entity selling the tickets may be associated with an organization using the venue, such as a team playing a sporting event there. Alternatively, the entity selling the tickets may be a third party ticket provider, such as TicketMaster.RTM.. A ticket holder who desires to attend the event may purchase one of the tickets from the entity selling the tickets.
When a ticket to the event is purchased, it confers a specific right to the ticket holder. Normally, when purchased, the ticket confers to the ticket holder a right to occupy a certain physical space in the venue during the event. The physical space may be a particular seat within the venue. Alternatively, the physical space may be a general location within the venue, as in the case of a general admission ticket.
The ticket usually includes a section having printed indicia that describe the right afforded to the ticket holder. For example, the ticket may include a date on which the event is to take place, a time at which the event is to begin, and a brief description of the event (such as the name of two teams that are participating in the event). The ticket usually also includes a location identifier, for example, a seat number. The location identifier identifies the physical space in the venue that the ticket holder has the right to occupy during the event.
Sometimes, a series of related events are held at a venue. For example, in the case of sporting events, a particular team may play several games at the venue during a season. These games are typically known as "home games." Avid fans of the team may desire to purchase tickets to all of the home games. Thus, a set of tickets, typically known as "season tickets" (or "subscription tickets"), may be purchased by the fan from the entity selling tickets. The season tickets typically include one ticket for each of the home games.
Access to the venue for an event typically is controlled without the need for sophisticated technology at the point of admission to the venue, as follows. At a time shortly before the event is to begin, the ticket holder holding the ticket approaches a gate at the venue. There, the ticket holder hands the ticket to a ticket-taker who visually examines the ticket. Generally, this is done to determine whether the date, time, and description of the event on the ticket corresponds to the current date, time and event which presently is being held at the venue. If they do correspond, then the ticket holder is permitted access to the venue where he will occupy the physical space described by the location identifier on the ticket. If they do not correspond, the ticket holder is denied access to the venue.
Because most tickets are typically non-refundable and non-exchangeable, individuals are sometimes reluctant to purchase tickets to events. Further, it is quite common that an individual, having purchased a ticket to an event, for any number of reasons will not be able to attend that event. As a consequence of this risk, many individuals that otherwise might purchase tickets choose not to. Therefore, revenues to entities selling tickets often run well below potential demand.
In the past, ticket holders have been limited in the ways in which they could obtain a refund for a ticket--that is, a return of something of value to the ticket holder in exchange for the right conferred by the ticket. As stated above, tickets are often non-refundable and non-exchangeable. This permits the entity selling tickets to keep the payment for the ticket once it has been received. This convenience to the seller comes, however, at the expense of demand as described above.
The non-refundable and non-exchangeable nature of most tickets has given rise to ticket brokers and ticket scalpers, which provide a service for ticket holders to obtain a refund for a valid but unused ticket. Ticket brokers typically are situated at a location that is remote from the venue and from the ticket holder. To use a ticket broker, a ticket holder seeking a refund for a ticket usually travels to the ticket broker to physically surrender the ticket. In exchange for the ticket, the ticket broker pays the ticket holder an amount that is usually less than the face value of the ticket. Then, the ticket broker resells the same ticket to another party for face value or for an inflated price. It is noted that ticket brokers are illegal in many jurisdictions or have markups limited by law.
Ticket scalpers are well known, even though they too are illegal in many jurisdictions. Ticket scalpers usually operate in close proximity to the venue itself and only offer their services for a short time approximately at the start of an event. A ticket holder desiring to obtain a refund for a valid but unused ticket must usually, therefore, visit a location near the venue at a time immediately prior to the event to physically surrender the ticket to the ticket scalper. The ticket scalper typically pays the ticket holder a discount from the face value of the ticket and attempts to resell the same ticket for more than that value.
There are other known ways in which a ticket holder can obtain a refund for a ticket. For example, according to one program, the ticket holder physically surrenders the ticket to an entity associated with the venue. Upon receipt, the entity attempts to resell the ticket to the public at face value. If the ticket is resold, then the ticket holder who submitted the ticket receives a partial refund. The refund is equal to the face value of the ticket less a predetermined handling fee that is a percentage of the face value.
The above described services and programs suffer from a number of problems. More specifically, in order for a ticket holder to obtain a refund for a ticket, he must physically surrender the ticket to another party. To effect such a physical surrender, the ticket holder may be required to travel to a remote establishment or to the venue itself. A ticket holder who cannot attend an event due to time constraints may find this requirement to be unduly burdensome. The burden imposed on the ticket holder is exacerbated in the case of ticket scalpers because they typically operate near the venue itself at the approximate time of the event. Thus, for a ticket holder who cannot attend the event because of its place and time, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to physically surrender the ticket to the ticket scalper.
Further, some programs may permit a ticket holder to physically deliver a ticket for a refund by mail. While this may reduce the burden placed on the ticket holder, the mail often is not a viable option. This is because the mail typically takes several days to be delivered. For a ticket holder who realizes that he will not be able to attend an event hours prior to or on the day of the event, the mail is not a practical way in which to obtain a refund for the ticket.
Still further, the use of an overnight delivery service (such as Federal Express) may not prove to be an adequate vehicle for the physical surrender of a ticket. This is because the cost of the overnight delivery service may be prohibitively high. Also, if the ticket holder realizes that he cannot attend the event on the same day as the event, then there will not be enough time to use the overnight delivery service.
There is a further risk that a ticket will be lost or stolen during delivery via the mail or an overnight delivery service. In such a case, because the ticket can be considered a bearer instrument, the lost or stolen ticket might be used by a person other than the ticket holder who is seeking the refund. Thus, the ticket holder might not be able to obtain the refund he seeks.
Further, the use of some services which require the physical surrender of tickets may be illegal, as in the case of ticket brokers and ticket scalpers.
It is noted that requiring a ticket holder to physically surrender a ticket in order to obtain a refund generally provides an increased ability to control access to the venue. This is because once a ticket is physically surrendered by the ticket holder, he cannot improperly use the ticket to gain access to the venue.
Similar to the services and programs described above, airlines generally require that a traveler physically deliver an airline ticket to the airline (or a travel agent) before a refund will be provided. The airlines usually do, however, permit a traveler to change his flight reservations over the telephone, without physically surrendering the airline ticket at that time.
For example, a traveler can typically change his flight reservation by paying a predetermined fee. To do so, the traveler calls a travel agent (or an airline representative). The travel agent requests certain information from the traveler regarding the flight reservation he desires to change. Thus, the travel agent may request the flight number, date of the flight, the departure and destination cities, and the name of the traveler. Upon receipt of the information from the traveler, the travel agent enters the information into a sophisticated computer system in order to change the flight reservation. The airline ticket remains in the possession of the traveler.
While the traveler typically cannot obtain a refund for an airline ticket without physically surrendering the ticket itself, this mode for changing a flight reservation is convenient for the traveler because it may be done over the telephone. However, the added convenience to the traveler imposes a substantial risk on the airlines. More specifically, although the traveler's reservation has been changed, the underlying ticket remains intact and in the possession of the traveler. Thus, an unscrupulous traveler may attempt to use the underlying ticket for the flight that he has changed, or may attempt to sell the ticket to an unsuspecting traveler. For this reason, the airlines must typically use a sophisticated and expensive computer system, both at the check-in points and the departure gates, which verifies the validity of all tickets and reservations using a centralized database. This verification of airline tickets cannot be done simply by visual inspection of the ticket itself.
Ticket holders have also been limited in the ways in which they can improve their seat for an event by upgrading their ticket. For example, one upgrade program requires the ticket holder to physically surrender the ticket to a ticket window at the venue prior to the event in order to exchange it for a new ticket. Another program allows the ticket holder to purchase an "upgrade certificate" at the venue or by mail. Thus, with these programs, a ticket holder may improve his seat at the venue by upgrading his ticket. However, these upgrade programs suffer from the same disadvantage as the refund programs and services described above. That is, they either require the physical surrender of the ticket itself or submission via the mail, which, as described above, may be both unduly burdensome and not practical.
In view of the above, both ticket holders and entities selling tickets to events at venues are at a substantial disadvantage. With regard to the ticket holders, they typically bear a financial risk when they purchase a ticket to an event at a venue. This is because if a ticket holder is not able to attend the event, he risks losing the value of the ticket. As described above, the known programs and services which allow a refund to be obtained for tickets only by physical surrender of the ticket are of no avail because they are often unduly burdensome, impractical, prohibitively expensive, or illegal.
The entities selling tickets to events at venues suffer because ticket holders may choose not to purchase tickets for fear that they will not be able to attend an event. As a consequence, these entities are losing substantial revenues. Further, due to the overhead associated with keeping track of cancellations, refunds and exchanges, these entities have generally been excluded from the profitable ticket resale industry that is currently dominated by ticket scalpers and ticket brokers.
Accordingly, what is needed is a ticket system and method for controlling access to a venue which provides greater flexibility both to the ticket holder and the seller, encouraging holders to purchase more tickets and thereby creating more revenue for sellers.